Sunday, August 02, 2015, 5:31 p.m.

3 tiny quakes recorded in Arkansas

Three small quakes on the low end of what commonly can be felt by humans were recorded in north-central Arkansas.

The first, a 2.0-magnitude quake, was centered near Oil Trough and occurred around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A second one near Quitman happened a half hour after the first.

The last was around midnight, also near Quitman. The other two were also a magnitude of 2.0.

Small earthquakes have rattled the region for years now - more than a thousand have been recorded along the fault line that that runs south of Guy to north of Quitman.

Geologists with the Arkansas Geological Survey have said they expect quakes in central Arkansas to continue despite the Oil and Gas Commission's move to shut down natural gas drilling injection wells that were believed to be contributing to the seismic activity.

Aimee, you must have and agenda.I think people keep confusing Fracking and Injecting.

FRACKING uses chemicals, however thousands of feet below water table levels to release oil/gas. Since fracking started around 1953 no water tables have been effected by Fracking.

INJECTION of old fracking water at much shallower depths has however been related to small quakes and could potentially effect water tables, but if fluids are cleaned of chemicals before Injection then it is unlikely water tables would be harmed. Just dispose of the cleaned fluids away from active fault zones to prevent the minor quakes.

Also, there are companies that clean the fluids and even truck away the cleaned fluids for proper disposal if near a seismic zone.

Aimee, the correct phrase would have been, "Just picture the chemicals running UP all these fissures into the ground water." Fracking happens WAY below the water table. But it's a good try. Silver Star for Aimee for effort.

Hey aimee, You didn't read where the EPA now admits they may have been wrong about claiming a direct link between groundwater contamination and hydraulic fracturing at Pavillion, Wyoming?Admitting that there are grounds for doubt concerning its earlier report, EPA director Lisa Jackson has agreed to retest groundwater around Pavillion, Wyoming. The agency had planned to rush the report through the peer review stage, apparently as part of an effort to justify national regulation of hydraulic fracking.

Oh, guess where the source of contamination came from? EPA's own test drilling!!!!The EPA's out of control. How much damage, has already been done to the oil and gas industry in jobs and economic growth because of the falsified reports on fracking from the EPA

"People near the tiny community of Pavillion praised the December report. Some had complained for years that their well water began to stink of chemicals around the time that drilling and fracking increased in their neighborhood in the early 2000s. They asked the EPA to investigate their water after what they have described as a reluctance to do so by state environmental officials."

jjackk,the epa hired a private firm to comeout and check every water well in my area.none of the wells come back positive for contaminants.7 wells not more than a mile from my house and where they were pumping waste water into the ground is less than 5 miles from my house by the way a crow flys.i remember hearing the quakes rumble when i was a kid.so again you must not draw a royality check or your business has not profitted from fayetteville shale.

Wife said she felt something this morn, called me &, was in Jefferson county, even dog and cat looked around. the dining table was rattling as baker rack was also moving! She had no idea these happened till she called me to tell me of this happing in Jefferson county!